1200 N. Larkin Avenue Joliet, IL 60435 Dr. Jeffrey Budz, President/Principal 815.741.0500 Mr. William Pender, Vice Principal www.jca-online.org Ms. Laura Pahl, Vice Principal CEEB/ACT Code 142380 Mr. Ed Mayer, Business Manager/CFO Mr. Dan Sharp, Athletic Director Inspiring Growth in Co-educational College Preparatory High School Knowledge and Faith Sponsors: Joliet Franciscan Sisters and the Carmelites SCHOOL PROFILE 2016-2017 Joliet Catholic Academy is a Roman Catholic college preparatory co-educational high school co-sponsored by the Joliet Franciscan Sisters and the Carmelites of the Most Pure Heart of Mary. With an enrollment of nearly 700 students and a student-teacher ratio of 15:1, personal and individualized attention is afforded to students. Currently, Joliet Catholic Academy has graduated over 22,800 alumni in the United States and abroad. MISSION GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS Inspiring Growth in Knowledge and Faith, the Joliet JCA is a fully accredited college preparatory high school Catholic Academy family creates an environment offering a challenging curriculum that prepares students for that cultivates opportunities for academic excellence, continued education and life. Depending on the strengths meaningful service, Christian respect, and Catholic of the student, he/she can be placed in classes throughout values in the traditions of the Carmelites and Franciscans. the three-tier program to best meet their needs: Honors/ Accelerated Program, Upper College Prep, or College Prep. ACCREDITATION Joliet Catholic Academy is accredited by the Illinois State Students must earn 25 credits to be eligible to receive a Board of Education, and AdvancED, a national accreditation JCA diploma. Twenty-two credits must be earned through program, accreditation divisions NCA CASI and SACS CAS. required coursework. The balance (3 credits) are earned by completing elective courses. CLASSROOM HIGHLIGHTS The average class size is 23 students. Student-to-faculty ratio 4 years of Theology is 15:1. Employs 97 of which 50 are educational staff members. 4 years of English Fifty percent of the faculty hold a Master Degree or higher. 3 years of Mathematics 3 years of Science ENROLLMENT 3 years of Social Studies 2 years of Foreign Language (or 2 year sequence in Fine Arts or Reading) Enrollment for the 2016-2017 school year is 665 students: 1 year of Physical Education 165 seniors, 175 juniors, 156 sophomores, 169 freshmen. 1 semester of Computer Applications Fifty-four percent of the student body are male and 1 semester of Health forty-six percent are female. Students come from the Joliet 1 semester of Visual Arts community and surrounding areas. 78% of students are 1 semester of Performing Arts Caucasian; 10% Hispanic; 5% African American, 5% Asian, 3 credits from Electives and 2% Other. 85% of the student body are Catholic; 15% Minimum of 60 hours of Christian Service have other religious affiliations. STUDENT SERVICES Dr. Jeffrey Budz President/ Principal ext. 211 [email protected] Mr. Bill Pender Vice Principal, Faculty and Operations ext. 216 [email protected] Ms. Laura Pahl Vice Principal, Curriculum and Technology ext. 213 [email protected] Mrs. Kathy Major Director of Counseling, College/Career Counselor ext. 266 [email protected] Mr. Michael Jerger School Counselor (A-Go) ext. 225 [email protected] Mr. Nick Leonard School Counselor (Gp-O) ext. 265 [email protected] Mrs. Kristin Horn School Counselor (P-Z) ext. 264 [email protected] Mrs. Holly Scordo Counseling Department Secretary ext. 267 [email protected] Mrs. Margaret K. Goolsby Student Records Coordinator ext. 268 [email protected] Mr. Ryan Quigley Director of Admissions ext. 214 [email protected] ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL YEAR WEIGHTED GPA JCA operates on a semester system, ending in December and JCA calculates a student’s GPA, depending on course level, May. The school day begins at 7:50 a.m. and ends at 2:40 p.m. according to the grade scale below. The semester grades of all Most students carry 7 classes in their academic load. courses on the transcript are used to calculate GPA. Effective with the Class of 2014, JCA no longer ranks students. SCALE AP HONORS UCP CP CURRICULUM AND SPECIAL COURSES A+ 100-99 5.75 5.25 4.75 4.25 Three levels of study are offered in academic subjects for A 98-94 5.50 5.00 4.50 4.00 A- 93-92 5.25 4.75 4.25 3.75 most courses: Accelerated/Honors, Upper College Prep, and B+ 91-90 4.75 4.25 3.75 3.25 College Prep. Advanced Placement (AP) offerings provide a B 89-86 4.50 4.00 3.50 3.00 B- 85-84 4.25 3.75 3.25 2.75 fourth alternative for upperclassmen. Students may work at C+ 83-82 3.75 3.25 2.75 2.25 different levels in different subjects. C 81-78 3.50 3.00 2.50 2.00 C- 77-76 3.25 2.75 2.25 1.75 An Honors Diploma requires a student to complete a D+ 75-74 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 sequence of 17 Honors/AP courses with no more than one D 73-72 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 D- 71-70 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 grade of C per semester in any course. A sequence of 20 F 69 or less 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Honors courses and 13 AP courses are offered. AP courses Class of 2016 Low Median Mean High include: Adjusted (Weighted) 1.52 3.71 3.66 4.82 AP Biology AP Micro Economics Simple* 1.37 3.16 3.11 3.97 AP Calculus AB AP Physics I Class of 2017 (end of 6th semester) AP Chemistry AP Spanish Language Adjusted (Weighted) 1.93 3.83 3.70 4.94 AP English Literature and Culture Simple* 1.72 3.24 3.15 4.10 and Composition AP Statistics *Simple GPA is on a 4.25 scale AP English III AP US Government AP European History and Politics STUDENT LIFE AP French AP US History • Over 60 clubs and athletic teams JCA typically does not allow underclassmen to take AP classes. • 74% of the JCA student body participates in at least Students who enroll in AP courses at JCA are not required to one sport take the AP exam in May. • 93% of the JCA student body participates in extracurricular activities JCA Calculus, Pre-Calculus, Statistics, and Psychology II are • JCA has a mandatory-random drug testing program dual credit courses with Joliet Junior College. CLASS OF 2016 ACHIEVEMENTS Student enrollment in Honors and AP classes is based on • The Class of 2016 graduated 161 students. 8th grade placement exam results, academic performance, • The Class of 2016 is attending 74 colleges and and teacher recommendation. LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES universities in 14 states. ARE AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE AP STATUS • 98% attending the college/university of their choice WITHOUT PLACEMENT IN HONORS CLASSES. Four-year college or university -78% JCA’s Academic Resource Center specifically targets Two-year college - 19% students in need of special academic assistance. Vocational school/military/work force - 2% • Over $14.9 million was offered in scholarship funds Eighth grade students can get a head start on JCA • 25 Illinois State Scholars coursework by enrolling in Biology and Algebra courses. Eighth grade candidates must be approved. ACHIEVEMENTS SINCE 1990 Class of 2016 Test Information • 730 Illinois State Scholars • 155 students took the ACT • 5 National Merit Scholars • 22.96 ACT Mean for the class • 7 National Merit Corporate Scholarship Winners • 29.0 ACT Mean for Honors Program students • 12 National Merit Finalists • 26.5 ACT Mean score for top 50% of class • 13 National Merit Semi-Finalists • Middle 50% Range: 19 - 27 • 62 National Merit Commended Students • 1 National Merit Hispanic Finalist • 1 National Merit Hispanic Recognition Scholar • 43 Illinois Merit Finalists ADVANCEMENT PLACEMENT EXAMINATION • 18 National Merit Recognition Scholars Year Number of Exams Scored 3 or higher • 3 National Merit Achievement Finalists 2016 119 66% • 4 National Merit Achievement Commended Students 2015 107 68% • 12 AP Scholars with Distinction 2014 98 69% • 39 AP Scholars with Honors 2013 98 68% • 61 AP Scholars 2016-2017 CURRICULUM GUIDE ENGLISH FOREIGN LANGUAGE MATH AP English III - H AP French V - H Algebra I - A/U/C AP English IV - H AP Spanish V - H Algebra I, Part A - C English I - A/U/C French I - U Algebra I, Part B - C English II - H/U/C French II - U Algebra II/Trigonometry - H English III - H/U/C French III - H Algebra II - H/U/C English IV - H/U/C French IV - H Algebra III - C Journalism / Newspaper - U Latin I - U AP Calculus - H Journalism / Yearbook - U Latin II - U AP Statistics - H Literature of the Holocaust - U Latin III - H Calculus - H Reading I Latin IV - H Geometry - H/U/C Reading II Spanish I - U Pre-Calculus - H/A/U The Short Story - U Spanish I - C Statistics - H/U Spanish II - U Spanish II - C Spanish III - H Spanish IV - H SCIENCE COMPUTER SCIENCE Anatomy and Physiology - U SOCIAL STUDIES/BUSINESS Computer Applications - U AP Biology - H Computer Applications II - U AP Chemistry - H AP European History - H Multimedia Design - U AP Physics - H AP Micro Economics - H AP US Government and Politics - H Biology - A/U/C PHYSICAL EDUCATION/HEALTH Chemistry - H/U AP US History - H Earth and Space Science - U Economics - H/U/C Physical Education Fr/So - U Human Biology - U International Relations - U Physical Education Jr/Sr - U Physics - H/U/C Introduction to Sociology - U Strength Training - U Introduction to Psychology - U First Aid - U Psychology II - U Health - U Study Skills US Government - H/U/C Study Skills 1 US History - H/U/C THEOLOGY Study Skills 2 World History - A/U/C Study Skills 3 Accounting I - U Theology I - U Study Skills 4 General Business - U Theology II - U Business Law - U Theology III - U Marketing - U Theology IV - U PERFORMING ARTS VISUAL ARTS DUAL